The Bell Rose
by Gargantua
Summary: A quest for dinner lands the Doctor and Rose in Adams, Tennessee, a far cry from their intended destination. They face-off against the paranormal and their own empty stomachs while being introduced to true Southern hospitality. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"'m not eating that," Rose declared. She sat at the small dinette in the TARDIS kitchen, one finger pointing at the objectionable item resting on her plate.

"Now Rose," said the Doctor, "you won't know if you like it until you try it." His tone was the same placating one used by adults everywhere to coax small children into eating their nasty vegetables and enjoying them. "On the planet Queelux, the prion is considered a delicacy and only members of the royal family are allowed to consume it. I'm feeding you like royalty."

Rose grimaced, but picked up her fork nonetheless. Approaching her plate as if it were a rabid skunk, she carefully scrutinized the Doctor's offerings. If she had to describe it, she would say it looked like a woodlouse, only green and ten times the size of anything she had seen scuttling under a rock on Earth. She tentatively poked the prion with her fork. The prongs slid smoothly across its hard shell wedging beneath its belly. Pulling up on the fork flipped the prion over onto its back.

Rose jumped away from the table staring in horror at all the tiny legs wiggling back and forth. "It's a bug! And alive!" She rounded on the Doctor and poked him hard in the chest. "You're trying to make me eat BUGS!"

"It's really not that bad, Rose," he said. "I will admit it does have some bug-like qualities, but really it is quite delicious. The royal family insists they have to be alive in order to get the true experience. In fact, some say that the wiggly feeling as it goes down reminds of them of eating lomans from the planet –"

Rose's arms crossed over her chest as the Doctor started to ramble, but she finally decided she had better cut him off mid-rant if she had any hope of getting some real food. "Fine then, if it's such an honor to eat that thing, you do it."

"What?"

"Go on then. If it's such a delicacy, let's see you eat it."

The Doctor stared at the wiggly thing on her plate, one hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. "Well," he started, "you see, Rose, the thing about prions is that Time Lords are extremely allergic to them. Rather like a human having an allergy to shellfish. Under normal circumstances I would be more than happy to eat any morsel provided to me by the local populace, but as it currently stands…"

His words trailed off as he got a good look at Rose's face.

"And you're not buying any of this."

"Nope."

"Ah, well…" The Doctor once again scrutinized the prion. It had managed to flip itself over and was exploring the table. "I suppose we could keep it as a pet."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Look you, the only reason we are in this mess is because you forgot to stop on Earth long enough to get groceries. And there is no way I'm eating that thing. So unless you want me to start eating the TARDIS, I suggest you take me somewhere with real food."

The Doctor seemed lost in thought for a moment, but then his eyes cleared and he beamed Rose one of his widest grins.

"Oi, I just want some chips! I'm too hungry to run for my life!" Rose's shout ended with a wail.

"Oh, Rose!" he said, practically skipping from the kitchen into the console room. "I've got something much better than chips in mind!" His hands flew over the controls putting the time rotor and his manic plan in motion.

Flipping the last lever with a little flourish, he turned and looked at Rose. "Oh no, that attire will simply not do. To the wardrobe with you!"

"But where –"

"No arguments. The TARDIS will show you what to wear."

"Doctor –"

"I suggest you get going. You won't get anything to eat in those clothes."

Giving up, Rose huffed out of the console room and headed straight to the wardrobe. There, in easy reach, were the clothes the TARDIS had picked. Rose pulled them off the rack and then stared in disbelief.

"He can't be serious!"

A low humming from the walls around her seemed to indicate that oh yes, he was entirely serious.

Rose turned, determined to march back into that console room and give the Doctor some well deserved pokes, but stopped when her stomach gave a loud growl.

An answering growl emanated from the walls of the TARDIS.

"Very funny. You could have reminded him we needed groceries you know."

The TARDIS did not deign to answer her this time, and Rose changed in silence.

* * *

The TARDIS materialized out of the time vortex with a bump. Rose instinctively gripped the railing as she returned to the console room.

"Oh," the Doctor said softly. "Look at you."

Rose couldn't stop the warm blush from rising to her cheeks. She shifted uncomfortably under his intense gaze. How could he possibly look at her like that when she was dressed like this? Perhaps tent-like garments were a Time Lord turn-on?

The dress provided to her by the TARDIS was very tent-like, indeed. Yards and yards of a drab colored fabric enveloped her from toe to neck. Even her hair was pinned up and encased in some sort of bonnet with ruffles along the edge. The only bits of skin showing were on her hands and face. Rose failed to see how the Doctor could find something this ugly appealing.

"Doctor," Rose began, "want to tell me why I'm dressed like I stepped off the set of Little House on the Prairie?" Her question was accompanied by another loud rumble of her stomach.

The rumble snapped the Doctor from his stupor. "Little House on the Prairie? Great show. You are close, Rose!" said the Doctor with a manic grin. "Well, when I say close, I mean within a few centuries. Well, two centuries, so it really isn't a very good guess after all, but kudos for making the effort."

He caught Rose's glare.

"Er, right. Not westward expansion Rose. No, you are dressed like a Puritan. We are in 1621 at Plymouth Rock."

Rose looked at him blankly. "Plymouth Rock? Like the colonies?"

"Oh yes, indeed. And not just the colonies but the very first American Thanksgiving." He glanced at her to be sure she was listening. When he saw he had her entire focus, he puffed up, prepared to deliver an impressive speech.

"The Americans got it wrong, you know," he continued. "Thanksgiving wasn't just a day. No. It was three days of non-stop feasting and brotherhood building! Wild turkey, pork, venison, pumpkins, corn, okra, and let's not forget the pies…. Rose?"

The Doctor blinked. Rose had been standing in front of him a minute ago. Where did she go?

He whirled at the sound of feet hitting the TARDIS grating in rapid succession. Rose had stopped listening after "pork" and rushed for the door.

The Doctor stood still for a moment, pouting. "I didn't get to finish being impressive." He stood still, staring at the now open door for a moment longer. Then his eyes widened and he made his own headlong rush for the door. "Oi, Rose! Wait for me!"

* * *

"Doctor?" Rose said as he joined her outside the TARDIS. "This don't look like a party to me."

"No," said the Doctor surveying their surroundings. "No, it really doesn't." He stuck his nose in air and took a large sniff. "Something seems…off."

The TARDIS was parked behind a large tree, its large trunk helping to camouflage the blue box. Rolling hills stretched before them, cradling large tracts of farmland. It was fall, and the trees crowding the hills were a riot of color; oranges, yellows, browns, and even some stragglers still sporting green. The farmland was brown and muddy, showing the signs of a recent harvest. And off to the left from where they stood was a large cave, its mouth dark and foreboding.

Rose found herself fixating on the cave, memories of another creepy and dangerous rock formation flitting through her mind. She was certain that any minute now the Doctor would declare that if ever there was a cave in the universe that screamed "investigate me!", it would be that cave. Any minute now, he would clasp her hand and lead her into a situation that would no doubt require running, empty stomach or no.

She prepared herself when she felt his hand slide into hers, hitching up her skirts with her other hand. If there was running to do, she didn't want to trip, and she was suddenly very glad she had eschewed period footwear and donned her trainers instead.

The Doctor tugged on her hand and Rose moved forward…in the opposite direction of the cave. Confused, she followed his lead clumsily, her trainers slipping on the dead leaves that covered the ground.

"Doctor?"

"Hmmm?"

"There was a big cave over there."

"Yes, I know. I saw it."

Rose continued walking behind the Doctor as he led them deeper into the foliage. Batting at stray branches that caught in her voluminous garments and trying not to get her feet caught in her hem did not stop her from raising an eyebrow at the back of the Doctor's head.

"Aren't we going to explore it?"

He turned and looked at her. "You want to? I thought you said no running without food?"

"I did! I meant it! It's just…"

"Just?"

"A little odd, you turning down a giant creepy place to explore."

The Doctor looked at her and smiled, his thumb giving a small caress to the base of her palm. "I've got my priorities," he said softly. Rose felt the blood rush to her face and she stared at him in confused wonder.

In the pause that followed, Rose heard the distinct sound of a stomach rumbling. It wasn't hers.

"Right!" said the Doctor turning on his heel and tromping through the foliage at a hurried pace. "Food first, then explore! Time can't expect us to save the world on empty stomachs. Bodies need fuel for all that running!"

The Doctor pulled Rose through the last bit of the foliage and waved his free arm at the ground like he had just done something clever and was waiting for his due praise. Rose finished picking a few leaves off her dress and then looked where he pointed.

"A road?"

"Yes! A road! And a road means civilization can't be that far behind." He beamed at her.

Rose returned the smile, playing along. "It could lead anywhere!"

"It could," said an unfamiliar voice behind her. "But it actually just leads to my house."

The Doctor and Rose whirled around and plastered on their best "first meetings with strangers" smile.

"Hello!" said the Doctor, one hand rummaging in the pockets of his coat. "I'm the Doctor and this is Rose Tyler, and we're here…"

"I suspect I know why you are here," said the man, "though I'm surprised news of our family trouble would have reached as far as England."

He was an older man, his hair graying and unkempt. He leaned heavily upon a cane clutched in his left hand, and his limbs visibly trembled with the effort of remaining upright. His clothes hung loosely upon his frame and his face was gaunt, the eyes dark and sunken clearly indicating a man who had been ill for some time. Clutched in his right hand, though, was a flintlock pistol.

The Doctor eyed the gun warily as he pulled the psychic paper from his pocket and waved it at the man. "Well, you know how news is. When its good, it takes years to travel. When its bad, everyone knows about it within the hour."

The man glanced at the psychic paper and then clumsily tucked the gun into the holster hanging at his hip. "Well, I see you have some expertise in this area. Perhaps you can provide answers where others have not." He extended his hand. "Welcome to Adams, Tennessee Doctor and Mrs. Tyler. I hope you won't regret coming."

"Oh," said Rose, "we're not –" The Doctor stopped her with a firm squeeze on her hand. She looked at him confusion, and then looked down at the psychic paper which the Doctor was waving at her. There it was, clearly written – "Doctor and Mrs. Tyler from the Paranormal Institute in London."

She looked up at the Doctor, but he was studiously looking everywhere but at her. To her knowledge the psychic paper had never before declared them to be married, and her mouth twisted with puzzlement.

"We're not unhappy to be here at all." The Doctor picked up from where Rose had abruptly left off.

"That will change," said the man, "once you realize she won't let you leave."

"Who won't?" asked Rose.

"You'll find out soon enough," was the reply.

The trio continued walking sedately down the road, a farmhouse just coming into view. Rose glanced at the Doctor noting his furrowed brow and intense gaze at the man now taking them to his house.

"I'm sorry," said the Doctor suddenly, "I don't believe I caught your name."

The man looked up in surprise. "No, I suppose I forgot to give it. Forgive me." He turned and faced them as they reached the front stoop of the house. "My name is John Bell."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Previously:_

_The man looked up in surprise. "No, I suppose I forgot to give it. Forgive me." He turned and faced them as they reached the front stoop of the house. "My name is John Bell."_

John Bell and his family proved to be gracious hosts. Everything that could have been done to provide comfort to their new guests was done; a bedroom was prepared for their use, being amply stocked with candles, flint and tinder, and firewood. They were introduced to the rest of the family as well as some of the family friends, all of whom seemed to latch onto these "paranormal experts" with more than a little desperation.

Yet, despite their obvious terror, no one mentioned the "family trouble".

Finally, once introductions were concluded, extra plates were added to the table and they all congregated over a communal meal. The table was quiet save for the sounds of eating, the Bells unsure of how to broach the subject they had been studiously ignoring all afternoon, and the Doctor and Rose too preoccupied with eating with gusto the meal they had been given.

When dining table conversation was introduced, it was idle, revolving around the Johnston's missing cow, the good harvest, and the work that needed to be done for the family to survive the winter. At last, the food was gone, the table was cleared, and the young children were sent to bed. John's wife Lucy escorted John Junior, Drewry, Richard, and their sister Betsy upstairs. When she returned, they looked at the Doctor and Rose with expectation.

"So," said the Doctor, leaning back into his chair, "tell us about your family trouble."

John sighed heavily like a man with a world upon his shoulders. He rose from the table and went to the sidebar, pouring himself and the Doctor a large whiskey. Collapsing back into his chair, he took a long drink.

"I suppose it started in 1817," he began, his thick Tennessean accent rolling the words out slowly. "I was inspecting a corn field when I saw something the likes of which I ain't never seen, and I don't rekon anyone on this Earth has neither."

Rose leaned forward in her seat, not wishing to miss a detail. "What did it look like?"

"Well, the only way I can describe it is that it had the body of a dog, but the head of the rabbit. I shot at it, but it disappeared before my eyes, and even though I'm sure I hit it, there was no blood trail."

Rose glanced at the Doctor. His brow was creased in that familiar way that told her he was thinking deep thoughts.

"It didn't stop with strange creatures, though, did it?" asked the Doctor.

"No, sir," said John. "That very night we started to hear… things. Honestly, it sounded like someone was beating on the walls outside the house; yet, when Junior and I went outside to check, no one was ever there."

"We thought at first someone was playing a joke on us," said Lucy, reaching for her husband's hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Aye," said John, "but then it got worse."

"My boys," Lucy said, a tremor in her voice, "they woke up at night complaining of rats gnawing on their bedposts. But there were never any rats. Just noise."

"Soon after that," John picked up the story again, "the beating sounds moved inside the house, soon followed by the bed covers being ripped off my children and their pillows being flung across the room by invisible hands. Betsy told us she heard the growling of wolves in her room."

The Doctor shifted in his seat, but said nothing.

"Then came the voices. At first we could barely hear them, they were so soft. They grew, though, until we could hear them as clear as we hear you and your missus."

"What do they say?" asked Rose.

"Sometimes it quotes scripture, sometimes it spouts language so vile it could have only come from the devil himself. Sometimes…" John coughed, unable to finish his sentence.

"It tells us how it is going to kill my husband."

The Doctor shifted again, this time forward, planting his elbows on the table. "Has it only made threats?"

"No," said Lucy, looking the Doctor dead in the eye. "My youngest daughter, Betsy, has been viciously attacked by this… this thing. It pulls her hair and slaps her around, so hard sometimes that we see the bruises the next morning. We tried to send her away for her protection, but the witch would not let her leave. The doors all held fast and none of us could get out of the house until we promised not to send her away again.

"Do you know what it is like, Doctor, to see the ones you love tortured and not being able to protect them? To not even be able to see what it is that is hurting them?" She released her husband's hand and pulled herself up to her fullest height. "I will not let this witch take my family from me." Her mouth hardened into a determined line.

"Dear…" started John, reaching forward with a restraining hand.

"No," said Lucy. "I won't. You will help us?"

The Doctor looked at Lucy. "I will help you. Your family will be safe. I promise."

"No," said Rose, rising from her seat. She walked around the table and engulfed Lucy in a hug. "_We_ will help you. _We_ promise." She threw a pointed glance at the Doctor.

"Thank you," said Lucy, collapsing into Rose's embrace.

* * *

"Weellll," drawled the Doctor, patting his now full belly, "that was certainly a delicious way to satisfy the grumbling stomachs, eh Rose?"

Rose said nothing. She pushed past him, standing in the doorway to their room as he was, and walked to the other side of the bed. She began fussing with the ties on her bonnet.

She heard the Doctor close the door softly behind them. "Rose?"

She still did not answer. Instead, she balled up the bonnet and threw it at him, then turned her back to him once again and busied herself with the ties on her dress. When the Doctor made no further response, she began pulling the dress over her head. The responding gasp from behind her put an evil smirk on her face.

"Rose! I'm in the room. And…and… you're undressing."

"Really Doctor, with as many times as you have patched me up, I doubt there is anything on my person you haven't seen."

"Well, yes, but only singly. One place a time. Not fully in tandem. Not fully naked Rose."

Rose rolled her eyes and turned to face him. By now, she had removed the dress and stood there in the shift, her socks and trainers, still decently covered.

"Do I look naked to you?"

The Doctor gulped. The shift Rose had worn beneath the dress was white, and the light from the candle behind her shone through the fabric giving him glimpses of her body beneath. For some reason, the Doctor did not feel inclined to mention it.

"N..No. I don't suppose you are." He turned away from her nervously and dug around in his jacket pocket. He pulled out the sonic screwdriver and busied himself with making adjustments.

Faster than he thought she could move, Rose had jumped over the bed and snatched the screwdriver from his hand. One swift move and it was stuffed down her shift, tucked away in her bra. Rose backed away from him hurriedly.

"Rose," the Doctor said, "give me back the sonic screwdriver." Puzzlement was clearly etched on his features.

"No," she said emphatically.

The Doctor advanced on her, one hand extended, palm upturned. "Rose, give me the screwdriver."

She took another couple steps backward until she collided with the wall behind her. "No! Not until you promise!"

"Rose, what are you on about?" The Doctor looked truly puzzled, which only served to further Rose's anger.

"Doctor," she drawled, talking to him as if he were a simpleton. "You locked me in the equivalent of Queeluxian bathroom for _four bloody hours_ while you went and took care of the problem all by yourself!"

"Oh," he said, his extended hand dropping to his side. "We're still on about that, are we?"

Rose couldn't believe her ears. "Still on? We never finished!"

"You slapped me for it! I thought that meant we were finished with the topic."

Rose's eyes grew round with astonishment. "You deserved it! And if you don't stop acting like my mother, there's a lot more where that came from!"

"I was trying to protect you!" he roared back.

Rose grew very quiet then, studying him closely, as if she were reading his thoughts. The Doctor started to fidget under her intense scrutiny. He rubbed the back of his neck, pulled his ear, shifted first to the left, and then to the right, jammed his hands in his pockets. Finally, he sat down on the bed, one leg tapping out an erratic rhythm.

When she finally spoke, it was so soft, the Doctor had to strain to hear her. "You said he was lying, the Beast. You said you didn't believe him, and that I shouldn't either." She came close to the bed, towering over him, hands propped on her hips. "Who was lying, Doctor? You, or him?"

The Doctor seemed to deflate, before reaching his arms around Rose and pulling her into his embrace. His head settled below her breasts and he took a moment to breathe her in. "I wasn't lying Rose," he said softly, his breath ghosting across the fabric of her shift. "You won't die in battle. It's just that I… Well, I can't…"

Unbidden, Rose's fingertips buried themselves in his hair. She stroked his scalp gently and slowly, as if comforting a terrified child. "Doctor," she said softly, "we're partners, yeah?"

She smiled at the feeling of the Doctor nodding against her stomach. "Then treat me like a partner."

Rose pulled away from him then, and signaled for him to lie on the bed. "Come on, budge up."

When the Doctor complied, she lay down beside him, the two of them face to face. She placed a hand on his cheek, her thumb rubbing along his cheekbone. "Listen to me, Doctor. I know you have lots of smarts, but in some ways you really are stupid."

"Oi!" protested the Doctor.

She grinned at him then, her tongue flitting out between her teeth.

"Not funny."

"Listen here you stupid alien," she continued. "You can't protect me from everything, and I don't want you to."

She moved her hand to cover his mouth when he was clearly about to protest.

"The human existence is not about dying, or living in fear of death, it's about living the best life you can while you can. _You_ taught me that." She moved her hand back to his cheek when it was clear he was listening. "Tylers NEVER back down. Ever. Not when faced with the end of the world. Not when faced with arrogant Time Lords who think they know better for everyone else."

She grinned at him again and shifted, placing her head on his chest and a hand between his two hearts.

"No matter what happens, remember that I would not have missed _you_ for anything in the world."

The air seemed to leave the Doctor's lungs in one great gust. "Oh Rose," he said, before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer.

"No more locking me in bathrooms, or closets, or anywhere else, yeah?"

"Yeah," he said softly.

"Promise me," she demanded. "We work together. Better with two, remember?"

"I remember," he said. "I promise."

They sat there quietly, until as if by mutual consent, the Doctor raised up to blow out the candles. Darkness descended and the two returned to each other's arms, shifting to get comfortable. The shifting ceased, they both settled, and Rose started to drift off to sleep.

Her eyes popped open, however, when she felt questing fingers in the general area of her bosom.

"Doctor?"

"I'm sorry, Rose, but can I _please_ have my sonic screwdriver back?" He nearly wailed his request. "I was really doing something important with it related to our current problem, not in any way related to sealing you into the bedroom, and since you are going to sleep for the moment, I certainly could use something to do besides playing with your hair." He paused. "Not that playing with your hair is in any way boring, it being the great hair that it is, and attached to a wonderful head, but –"

Rose had an idle image run through her mind of Linus and his security blanket, and she smiled. She turned her face up to him. "Sure, you can have it." She paused for a moment and then the tongue popped out between her teeth again. "But you'll have to get it yourself." She gave an exaggerated yawn. "I'm simply too tired."

She allowed herself a moment of triumph at the completely poleaxed look on the Doctor's face, then repositioned herself on his chest and feigned sleep. To her credit, she didn't giggle when trembling exploratory fingers reached down her front to grab the screwdriver. She didn't even twitch when those fingers lingered just a tad bit longer than they needed to accomplish their task. She did, however, smile.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Previously:_

_She allowed herself a moment of triumph at the completely poleaxed look on the Doctor's face, then repositioned herself on his chest and feigned sleep. To her credit, she didn't giggle when trembling exploratory fingers reached down her front to grab the screwdriver. She didn't even twitch when those fingers lingered just a tad bit longer than they needed to accomplish their task. She did, however, smile._

_Whump!_

At the first bang, the Doctor and Rose rolled out of bed with the ease of those accustomed to responding to emergencies.

_Wham!_

"Where is it?" asked Rose as she clumsily tried to light the candles with the primitive tools available.

"Here," said the Doctor, pressing against her in the dark and sliding a modern lighter into her hand.

Rose grasped it gratefully and soon they had light enough to find the latch on the door. Grasping it in hurried hands, they ran out into the hallway, candelabra held high. They found John and Lucy already there, terror writ plainly upon their features.

"Where is -?" barked the Doctor. His sentence was cut short by a bloodcurdling scream followed by a large bang that shook the frame of the wooden house.

"Betsy!" shouted Lucy, and the four barreled down the hall.

Lucy made it first and tried to open the door. It was stuck fast. She banged on it with balled fists. "Betsy! Let me in!"

"Move," said the Doctor, as he gently pushed Lucy out of the way. He had no more luck with the door than she had.

"Use the sonic screwdriver," said Rose, trying to hold the light to best aid the Doctor.

"Can't. The door is all wood. It won't work on wood."

Rose frowned for a moment, but the sound of another terrified scream decided her. She quickly passed her candles to Lucy and then tore down the hallway, the trainers she had refused to remove even while sleeping slapping hard on the wooden floor.

"Rose!" shouted the Doctor.

"It's alright! I have an idea. Break it down!" She tossed a glance back at the Doctor and flashed him a smile. "Meet you inside, partner!"

"Rose!" shouted the Doctor again, but she was already gone, the sound of her feet on the stairs fading.

John Junior joined the trio outside the door, and the three men began putting their shoulder to the unyielding wood.

* * *

Rose ran out the front door and circled the yard to the side of the house she was sure contained the window that led to Betsy's room. The yard was dimly illuminated by the sickly green glow that spilled from the window, and Rose picked her way beneath it without incident.

Standing beneath the window, she ran her hands over the wall. The house was constructed of large logs stacked and mortared on top of one another, and her questing fingers easily found ledges and bumps that would support climbing feet, if she were careful. Though the window was on the second floor, the distance from the ground was not all that great, and Rose nodded to herself. She had climbed greater distances while traveling with the Doctor, climbing to the window should be cake.

Grabbing two handholds, she placed one foot on the wall and prepared to heave herself up the side of the house. The growling behind her took her by surprise. She froze, her body stilling itself in position. Slowly, she turned her head and looked over her shoulder. There were no angry wolves with burning eyes and bared teeth standing behind her.

Rose's eyes narrowed. "You ain't gonna stop me," she declared and turned her focus back to climbing the side of the house, pulling herself up.

The growls turned more menacing.

Rose just laughed and continued climbing. "I ain't afraid of the Big Bad Wolf! Shoo!"

To her surprise, the growling ceased immediately, and she was left to finish her climb unhindered.

Reaching the window, she took the time to balance herself on the wide window ledge. Peering in, her breath caught. Betsy was suspended in midair by her hair, the long strands standing straight up from her head, held by an invisible hand. Betsy's body jerked and swung with each strike of a phantom fist. Blood, dark in the greenish glow that filled the room, mingled with the tears trickling down her face.

"No!" shouted Rose. "Leave her alone!"

She pried at the window with trembling fingers, and slowly, inch by inch, raised the window. Once it was high enough for Rose to get her hand beneath the sill, she gave one last hefty push and clambered into the room.

As soon as her feet hit the floor, Betsy dropped from the air and landed on the planking with a wet thud. Rose ran to her and gathered her into her arms. At the same moment the door slammed open.

"Rose!" said the Doctor.

She looked at him with concern in her eyes. "She's hurt, but OK I think."

Lucy forcefully pushed past the Doctor and ran to her daughter. "Oh my baby," she cried, pulling the sobbing child into her arms. She rocked the child back and forth, desperately trying to console her while Rose used the sleeves of her shift to wipe away the blood.

"Who are you?" demanded the Doctor, his face turning from relief at seeing Rose unharmed to fierce and determined.

Silence reigned in the small bedroom as they all awaited an answer. The glow first ebbed then surged forth mimicking the tides, an apt description as the greenish color gave the impression that they were all in an underwater chamber.

"Who are you?" said the Doctor again as he swept the room with his sonic screwdriver trying to get some readings he could make sense of.

The first response came when John's cane flew from his grip to hit the opposite wall. John crumpled to the ground with a grunt.

"John!" screamed Lucy.

The Doctor quickly knelt at John's side and helped prop him up against the wall.

"I'm all right, dear," John called reassuringly.

Now, the Doctor was angry. "Is this what you do? Torture innocent children and pick on those who are unable to defend themselves?"

The desk chair toppled over and slid across the floor striking Junior in the knees. He gave a pained shout and fell to the floor next to his father.

The sonic screwdriver beeped. The Doctor hurriedly consulted it, and then he smiled a terrible smile. "Oh, I've got your number now."

"What is it?" called Rose.

"A larvae familiae. A telepathic and telekinetic worm. It latches onto a person, a place, a family and then feeds off the fear it creates. Nasty little things, found on many different worlds in many different times. Here on earth, they have been termed demons, devils, witches, ghosts… poltergeists.

"But enough about it, Rose. I am brilliant. Want to know why I am brilliant?"

"Why are you brilliant, Doctor?"

"I'm glad you asked. I'm brilliant because after I encountered one of these nasty buggers on Volov, I added a new setting to the sonic screwdriver." He brandished the screwdriver before him nearly beaming with pride. "Setting 4564. Put in terms that you humans can understand, it shorts out the telepathic connection. Just…like…THIS!"

The screwdriver made an atrocious noise and everyone in the room save for the Doctor covered their ears. Mercifully, the noise was short-lived and silence descended upon the room once again.

The green light in the room paused, as if contemplating its next move. Then a gravely chuckle rang out through the room.

"_Butter my butt and call me a biscuit! John Bell, wherever did ya find this un? He's got smarts, but oh that mouth!_"

"What's wrong with my mouth?" demanded the Doctor.

"_No good_," said the voice. "_I know better than to get into a braying contest with a jackass._"

The Doctor stammered for a moment, unused to being insulted. "I am not a jackass!" retorted the Doctor. "Am I Rose?"

Rose shook her head and the gravely laugh echoed through the room once more. Then the heavy oak bed rose four feet off the ground and then came back down with a house shuddering crash.

"I don't reckon," said John, "your buzzy thing worked, Doctor."

"'_Course not,_" said the voice. "_I ain't leavin' till I'se ready. And I ain't ready till you'se dead, John Bell. You and you're family."_

Lucy gave a choked gasp.

"_Oh, don't you worry Lucy Bell. I likes you. I won't hurts you. You'll see._"

Lucy's only response was to clutch her daughter closer, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Rose put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

The Doctor, horribly confused, began talking to himself. "Why didn't it work? It should have worked. There is nothing wrong with the screwdriver, I would have noticed it before now." He gave the gadget a little shake. "Could I have been wrong? No, I'm a genius. I'm never wrong. So why didn't it work? Think, Think, Think!"

Rose had seen the Doctor carry on such monologues before. Usually at the end of them he either figured out the problem or decided it was time to start running. But when the pitcher from the washstand flew across the room aimed at John's head, Rose could no longer keep still. She pushed herself to her feet.

"Oi!" she shouted. Everyone, including the Doctor looked at her, mouths agape.

"Not got the bollocks to pick on anyone but children and old men? I mean really, hair pulling? I haven't fought that way since I was five! Slaps? Ain't nobody got a harder slap than Jackie Tyler! And I'm my Mum's daughter!"

"Rose, no!" said the Doctor, one arm extended to reach her.

She ignored him and threw her challenging look around the room. "Why not pick on someone your own size?"

The words went off like a pistol shot, and Rose was unprepared for the reaction they triggered. She was expecting a hair pull, or a slap, or even a punch, but she was not expecting to be grabbed from behind by cold invisible hands.

One minute she was standing in the middle of the room, the next she was pulled off her feet and through the window she had entered earlier. Her shriek of outrage echoed hauntingly as she was dragged off into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_Previously:_

_One minute she was standing in the middle of the room, the next she was pulled off her feet and through the window she had entered earlier. Her shriek of outrage echoed hauntingly as she was dragged off into the night._

"Rose!" shouted the Doctor, making a mad rush for the window. He caught a glimpse of white and then the darkness swallowed all traces.

John signaled to Junior to fetch his cane, and help him to his feet. The task took more than a minute as the greenish glow slowly faded along with Rose. He then hobbled over to the Doctor and laid a heavy hand upon his shoulder.

"I am terribly sorry. We asked for your help and now the demon has taken your wife."

The Doctor remained rigid, his muscles tense, eyes straining to pierce the night.

"What can we do?" entreated Lucy.

"Flour!" shouted the Doctor.

"What?" asked Lucy.

"I need flour!" the Doctor repeated. Where once he stood motionless as a stone, now he moved like a whirlwind. He grabbed a candle from the table and hastily lit it.

"Meet me in the front yard with as much flour as you can find." When all he received was blank stares, he yelled, "Go now!"

His tone and the fever in his eyes spurred Lucy to action. Once he saw them moving, he ran out of the door and down the hall to the room he and Rose shared. Bursting in, he quickly began searching – the bed, the dresser, the floor. "Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?!" he muttered.

Finally, his hand clutched on something soft and squishy under the bed and he yanked it out. It was the bonnet Rose had worn earlier.

"Yes!" he shouted as he drew the candle close and inspected it. "Now, if we are very lucky…"

The light of the candle glinted off a single golden strand of hair, dark at the root. "Hello there," he said softly, and carefully took the hair into the palm of his free hand. Then he was on his feet and running down the stairs and out of the front door.

A bewildered Lucy was there waiting on the porch, a giant open sack of flour at her feet.

"Perfect!" said the Doctor. He pressed the candle into her hand and then reached in and pulled out a large palm full of flour.

Lucy watched half in amazement and half in cautious fear while the Doctor placed the strand of hair in the same hand. He then pulled out the same buzzy thing he had used earlier and focused it on the material in his hand.

"Come on, come on, come on," he said, nearly jumping with impatience.

By the time John joined them on the porch, the flour in his hand changed from white to iridescent pink. The Doctor hooted in triumph.

"What sort of witchery is this?" asked John, placing a protective arm around his wife.

The Doctor turned to him with a manic grin on his face. "The good kind. The kind that will help me find Rose."

With that, he jumped off the porch, held up the palm full of pink flour and blew it out into the night. It swirled eerily, hovering in the air seeming to search for something. When the flour finally drifted to earth, it left an iridescent trail pointing a straight line past the farmlands and into the hills.

"What lies in that direction?" asked the Doctor.

John looked grim. "The cave lies over yonder."

"Right," said the Doctor after bopping himself on the head. "The cave. Of course!"

"Doctor," said John seriously, "don't go. Those who go in never come out."

The Doctor ran back up the porch stairs. "Listen to me," he said, voice tight and intense. "I'm going to go get Rose. If that thing comes back, don't be afraid. It feeds on fear, do you understand? If you fear it, it gets stronger."

"What shall we do?" asked Lucy.

"Laugh at it, yell at it, call it bad names. Anything but allow it to make you afraid. Do you understand?"

Lucy nodded tentatively, unsure if she would be able to comply. If there was a way, however, she would do it to protect her children.

"Junior, go fetch the lanterns and our rifles." John's voice was soft but firm in the gloom, and Junior was quick to respond. He turned to his wife. "Lucy, go inside with the children. Keep them safe." He pulled her close and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I love you."

"And I, you, John," she whispered and then slipped back into the house.

The Doctor looked at John appraisingly. "You don't need to come. I can do this alone."

John looked past the Doctor, his eyes focusing on the darkness beyond. "I reckon, Doctor, you might want to rethink."

The Doctor turned slowly. Glowing red eyes glared at him from the darkness. When he took one step off the porch, menacing growls reverberated around them.

Junior made a show of loading his gun, and John followed suit.

"We'll have to move fast," said the Doctor, eyeing John's cane.

John nodded at him. "I'll take the rear. Don't be worrying none 'bout me. I've still got life in me yet."

The Doctor eyed his rifle uncertainly. "I doubt bullets will do much good."

John nodded again. "At least we can confuse them. Harder to hunt three foxes than just one."

The Doctor saw clearly the determination of the man. Frontier living was far from easy, and it had hardened John Bell and his family. These were people who did not shirk from danger, and knew more than a thing or three about getting things done. They would not take 'no' for an answer.

"All right," the Doctor said finally. "When I give the word, we'll break for it. I have to stop at the TA–". He caught himself. "At our…er…transport. I need equipment. It will look strange to you, but trust me when I say it is harmless. To you."

The two men nodded at him, not fully understanding. "We've seen you do magic, Doctor," said John. "Do you swear on all that is holy that you do not walk with demons?"

"I swear it."

John gave a sniff. "That's good enough for me."

"Right then," said the Doctor. "On my mark – one, two, - NOW!"

The three took off running, guns ready, lanterns swaying, and phantom teeth nipping at their heels.

* * *

The air left her lungs with an "umph" as she was dropped heavily on the ground. The darkness was complete, and Rose scrambled around unseeing. Her questing fingers found a stone wall behind her, and she used it as leverage to gain her feet.

She did not know where she was, or how far she had been carried. Rose could feel dirt and dead leaves beneath her and stone behind her. The air was damp and carried with it the smell of decaying vegetation. The general feel of the place led her to believe it was large. Much larger than the small area in which she currently stood.

Rose was frightened, but she remembered the words the Doctor had uttered. The creature fed on fear, so she clamped down hard on her emotions. Pushing down the fear, she instead pulled on some good, old fashioned, Tyler bravado.

"Well? Come on then. Show yourself," she demanded, nearly choking on the tremor she felt in her voice.

A slight hint of movement in the corner of her eye caused her to turn her head. Before her, a small familiar green glow slowly coalesced. The small light allowed her to see far enough to detect cave walls, and she rolled her eyes.

"Ended up in the cave, after all," she muttered. "I should've known."

The glow continued to grow, shifting and undulating as it did so. It reflected off the cave walls in little flickers of light, like gemstones, and Rose wondered what the cave contained. Then the meaningless motions took shape and Rose found herself staring at a child. The little girl was dressed in clothing that was similar to what Rose had seen Lucy and Betsy wearing, down to the small brown shoes and white bonnet perched atop her head.

The child looked at her with malevolent red eyes and a cruel smile on her lips. The contrast between innocent child and evil expression made Rose gasp.

"_I likes you,"_ said the girl, her feet dangling over the cavern floor. "_You're strong. Within you I hear the song of the ancients._"

The girl glided forward and Rose found herself pressing her back into the stone behind her.

"_It'll be such fun finding out what makes you howl,_" the girl said. She abruptly moved off from Rose then, her laughter echoing off the walls of the cavern.

Rose was openly trembling now, but she refused to give this thing the satisfaction of making her scream. She propped herself upright on shaky legs by bracing against the stone wall. She dug deep and pulled out more Tyler sass.

"That ain't you," she stuttered. "The Doctor said you were a worm, yeah? If that's true, then you've got a date with the bottom of my shoe!"

Laughter rang out, clear and amused. "_Oh, you are fun!_" said the girl. "_Much better than that ole' highfalutin' mushmouth._"

She grinned at Rose, a terrible smile slashing her face. "You _wanna see what lil' ole' me looks like?_" Suddenly she rushed forward, pressing that evil smile into Rose's face. "_Start howling,_" she said.

The girl dissipated into nothingness and Rose allowed herself a deep breath. Then the cavern floor began to glow, the greenish hue progressively stretching as far as Rose could see. The ground rumbled and the dirt churned. Leaves and detritus scattered from the disturbance of some very large... thing rising from the dirt.

Rose stared in abject horror as the body of a giant worm pulled itself from beneath the cavern floor. It stretched at least 12 feet from where Rose stood and was at least 5 feet thick. Rose was certain she would not be able to grapple with it – her arms would not go all the way round.

The part of the worm that rose from the ground beside Rose reared up and crested. Rose had the distinct feeling that it was looking at her, but it had no eyes she could see. It did, however, have a mouth, which it opened wide. The hole was elliptical, and it was edged with many razor sharp teeth.

Rose screamed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Previously:_

_The part of the worm that rose from the ground beside Rose reared up and crested. Rose had the distinct feeling that it was looking at her, but it had no eyes she could see. It did, however, have a mouth, which it opened wide. The hole was elliptical, and it was edged with many razor sharp teeth._

_Rose screamed._

The Doctor fumbled with the key to the TARDIS, the lantern light wavering erratically with his movements. Finally, he shoved the key into the lock and turned it. He paused on the threshold of the TARDIS and looked behind him.

Not too far from him he could see two other lanterns swinging. A rifle shot rang out in the night, followed by some of the most creative cursing the Doctor had heard in his long life.

Knowing that rifles were nothing more than loud noisemakers when confronting phantom wolves, John and Junior had taken the words of the Doctor to heart. In an attempt to control their fear, the two Tennesseans had taken to quoting scripture, and calling insults out to the entity that plagued them.

"Yea, though I walk through the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil," said Junior.

"Hey Junior," said John, "I'll bet that witch is so buck toothed she could eat an apple through a picket fence."

"Most likely," came the reply. "And I'm sure she's as ugly as homemade lye soap!"

The Doctor admired their tenacity, and their creativity. It turned out that Southerners could most likely out-insult a Griff, the only species in the universe that considered it impolite to offer compliments. These two might even win the insult contest held by the inhabitants of that planet once every 24 earth years.

He turned on his heel and pushed into the TARDIS, heading straight for the supply room. Objects of various shapes and sizes were soon flying through the room. "No, no, no, don't need that. Oh, so that's where that went! No. No. YES! Er, maybe."

Objects deemed worthy were quickly stuffed into transdimensional pockets, or slung about the neck. A large flashlight with plasma core batteries, a sonic amplifier, rope, an egg beater and a tuning fork were all claimed as items with worth for dealing with a larvae familiae.

Satisfied he had all the necessary supplies, he rushed for the door of the TARDIS. Before he reached it, the TARDIS lurched sideways and the Doctor went flying.

"What?" he demanded.

He regained his feet quickly and threw open the door. A wall of earth greeted him. The TARDIS had been tipped over so the door was facing the ground. The words of John Bell ran through his mind: "She will not let you leave."

"No!" he shouted, slamming the door shut. He rushed to the console and began twisting dials and flipping levers. If he could just rematerialize he could resituate the TARDIS and go give this creature some pain for daring to touch his ship!

The time rotor started slowly, as if working against an external pressure. The TARDIS slowly built up steam and then shuddered to a complete halt.

"No!" the Doctor shouted again, thumping his fists against the console.

This time there was the sound of a loud groaning, as if from metal being put under stress. The lights dimmed in the console room and the Doctor thought he could hear faint whispers beneath the screech of moving metal.

And then, a new door appeared, the wall of the TARDIS reforming as he stared at it.

"Brilliant! You are a brilliant ship!" he said, giving the time rotor a quick kiss. He then shoved himself towards and out the door, popping out of the back of the TARDIS instead of the front.

He allowed a quick mournful glance at his blue box toppled over on its side, and ran a consoling hand down the smooth wood. "We'll fix you up," he said softly, "as soon as I get Rose back."

He turned and ran towards the cave as fast as his converse-clad feet would take him, and soon only the pinprick of light from his flashlight marked his passage.

* * *

Rose backed up slowly, trying to put some distance between herself and the gigantic worm that seemed to be staring her down. The head of the worm followed every movement she made, but made no motion towards her.

Rose took heart from this and lengthened her backwards stride. She had gone no more than 5 feet when she felt it. There was a pressure inside her mind, as if something foreign was trying to push its way in. Pain soon accompanied the pressure, sharp lances of sensation starting in her temple and shooting down her spine.

Rose gasped and struggled to keep her feet. The pressure continued to increase, and the more she fought the intrusion, the worse her head hurt. Collapsing to her knees, she placed her head in both her hands. Her eyesight blurred and she could feel the darkness slithering past the barrier and into her mind.

And then everything rushed at her at once as the thing coiled and moved inside her head. Images flashed past her mind's eye, too fast for her to cling to any one. Adrift on a sea of sensory input with no anchor, Rose screamed again. At least, she thought she did. With no concrete bearing, it was impossible for her to tell whether the screams only existed within her head, or if they tore loose from her throat.

Faster and faster, deeper and deeper, the mind-worm wound its way through her brain, searching. Suddenly, it was halted, ramming against a barrier made of song. Angry, it thrashed and writhed against it, desperate to overcome that which kept it from devouring Rose whole.

Rose felt it when the tearing in her mind stopped. The whirlwind of images ceased and she found herself standing on a beach. In three directions stretched the land, unending; in the fourth direction reached the sea, enormous and immense, and she could hear the song. Oh, she could hear plainly that beautiful song, and as she stood solid against the onslaught of the worm, she laughed, because now she knew. The pure seed of true knowledge was inside of her, and her soul howled with victory.

Laughter mixed with tears which blended with screams and combined with howls, both inside her mind and that of the worm. And rising over the din, she thought she could hear her name.

"Rose!" came the voice, from both near and far. But the noise was too loud, and she couldn't break free.

"Rose!" came the shout again. Rose focused on hearing the name riding the wind and locating it on her infinite beach. And then it was there. She could see it plainly and understood the form it took. When he called her a third time she was ready, reaching for his voice through the madness.

* * *

The Doctor dashed into the cave, his assorted implements jerking back and forth against him as he ran. He had no trouble finding the loathsome creature; its sickly glow served as a beacon and drew him forward.

"But, that's impossible," the Doctor muttered, stopping abruptly. The sheer size of the monster took him aback. Typically, larvae familiae only grew to be the size of a large earth serpent, not giant monsters fit for science fiction horror stories.

Then he saw Rose, and the scene shifted from one of surprise to one of abject terror.

Rose was collapsed upon the earth, unearthly screams and insane laughter being torn from her throat. The creature itself loomed over her, its large mass pulsing with the psychic energy it was absorbing. If he didn't sever the psychic link soon, her brain would cease to function.

Distraction – he needed a distraction. The Doctor pulled out the sonic screwdriver and something that resembled a silencer for a gun. He screwed the attachment onto the sonic screwdriver and activated it.

The effect was instantaneous. The amplified pulse of the screwdriver resounded throughout the cave, making the walls tremble and causing boulders and debris to rain down from above. The creature reared back and began thrashing back and forth as if in pain, the draining pulse ceasing abruptly.

"_My stars and garters, Mushmouth! You don't play fair._"

"You're right, I don't. Not when it comes to Rose," the Doctor retorted.

He stood and heaved Rose up with him and half carried her in the direction of the cave entrance, shoving them both behind a stony outcropping. Immediately, he started calling her name. "Rose! Rose! Rose, come on back to me."

He breathed a sigh of relief when Rose opened her eyes and looked at him with a fuzzy gaze. "Are you all right?"

She smiled at him and laid a hand upon his cheek. Rose could see his face, but it was blurry. Other faces were superimposed upon his own, but she now she recognized them all. "My Doctor," she said softly.

"Rose," said the Doctor softly, cradling his cheek into her hand.

"_Oh, isn't that just too sweet,_" said the mocking voice.

He immediately pulled away from Rose's hand. "You're going to regret hurting Rose," the Doctor shouted. "There is no force –" his voice trailed off as his attention was arrested by the cave wall. "Hello, what's this?" Long, thin fingers began poking and prying at the cave. A chunk of it came away and dropped into his palm. He shone the light of the torch on it and then smiled.

"_Are you ignoring me, Mushmouth?_" said the creature. The unmistakable sound of skin sliding across the ground filled the chamber. It was getting closer.

The Doctor stood up and walked out from behind the outcropping, tossing the rock in his hand. "Ignoring? Certainly not. I just discovered something extremely interesting. And I am about to do something entirely brilliant. Would you like to know what it is?"

The worm paused in its forward movement, seeming to consider the Doctor. Something in his posture and attitude made it uncertain.

"_Methinks someone's gettin' too big for his britches._"

Rocks began to rise from the ground and were hurtled towards the Doctor. He quickly jumped back behind the stone shelter.

The thumps of rock pelting rock were the only sounds for several moments. Rose and the Doctor huddled together trying to avoid stray shards. When the Doctor next spoke, he raised his voice to carry over the racket.

"Well, I'm going to tell you anyway. After all, such brilliance should never be hidden. Do you know what I found in the cave?" The Doctor tossed the rock in the air once again and caught it with a flourish. "Quartz. And lots of it. The walls of this cave are practically made of it. And guess what is so special about quartz!"

The assault died once it was apparent it was doing no good, neither pummeling the enemy nor stopping the Doctor's tongue. The Doctor stood, the better to be imposing.

"It's pretty," came the faint response from Rose. She was unsteady as she pushed herself to her feet. Her head was pounding, but if the Doctor was going to be brilliant, she needed to participate. It was what partners did, after all.

"Well, yes, but that's not what I meant." said the Doctor, brushing bits of rock of dust out of his hair. "I mean, it certainly is pretty in a rocky sort of way, and I suppose females get happy when it sparkles, but no. What I meant was that it carries a charge quite well. Not to mention that it amplifies vibrations. Telepathic vibrations. Sonic vibrations even."

He leveled a wondering look at the worm. "No wonder you got so large! Using this cave, you've managed to increase your food source exponentially and grow into the behemouth you are today. I'm sure your parent worms would be quite proud."

Rose wasn't positive, but she thought she heard the worm roll its eyes. And she quite agreed.

"Doctor –" she said with a warning note in her voice. Her head was pounding, and if he didn't finish soon, she was going to hurl all over his shoes.

"Vibrations, Rose. So, what do you think would happen if I applied the amplified sonic screwdriver directly to the wall?"

He did just that, and whereas before the sonic blast resounded inside the cave, now the entire cave itself buzzed, the quartz in the walls amplifying the waves, twice, three times larger than before. The worm thrashed in pain, its massive body beating itself against the cave walls, desperately trying to find a way out. It started to dive into the ground, but even the floor beneath their feet hummed with the sonic vibrations.

And then, just when Rose felt sure she was going to pass out, she heard a scream rip through the air, and the worm exploded. Warm, sticky worm guts shot out in a high velocity spray, coating the walls of the cave, as well as the Doctor and Rose.

"Well," said the Doctor into the silence that followed, "that was unexpected."

"You suck," said Rose softly, glowing green with worm guts. To emphasize the point, she threw up all over his converse sneakers.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_Previously:_

"_You suck," said Rose softly, glowing green with worm guts. To emphasize the point, she threw up all over his converse sneakers._

"I take it back," Rose whispered, reveling in the relief she felt as the medicine the Doctor had just administered made both the pain in her head and the nausea subside. "You don't suck.

They had made their way back to the TARDIS, the Doctor supporting Rose and holding her hair back every few feet as she heaved up the contents of her stomach. Junior and John met them along the way, and insisted on providing an escort back to their transport.

The farewell had been perfunctory, but no less heartfelt. Both the Doctor and Rose were covered in gunk, and the shift Rose had been wearing was torn in several places that caused the two Bells to blush and look away.

The Doctor assured them that the witch had been dealt with and they could return home to live their lives without fear. Normally Rose would be handing out the hugs and encouragement, but she felt positively awful and smelled like sewage. John and Junior passed on the hugging, but promised to hug the rest of the family for her.

So the goodbyes were said and the Doctor pulled Rose into the TARDIS through the backdoor. Once inside, the door vanished, soon followed by the TARDIS itself as the Doctor piloted them into the vortex.

Rose was ushered to the infirmary for a complete brain scan, and then the Doctor injected her with something that made her feel much better.

"Good to know," said the Doctor. Now that Rose could see clearly, she noticed the tightness of his eyes and the slight clench of his jaw. Good Lord, he had taken her seriously.

She reached down to grab his hand in hers. "I'm sorry. I was in such pain I didn't know what I was saying. I didn't mean it."

He stared at her for a moment, then squeezed her hand. She was gratified to see the tightness around his eyes smooth out, and a genuine grin light up his face.

"Psychic backlash. It can cause quite a migraine." He moved to study the picture of the inside of her head on the monitor. "Everything looks good though, no evidence of neural failure or improperly firing synapses."

He turned back to her and looked deep in her eyes. "You feeling all right?"

Rose moved her head experimentally. There was no sudden sharp pain behind the eyes, so she sat up. She was pleased when she didn't vomit all over the floor.

"Yeah," she said softly, taking a quick glance down. Worried eyes immediately found his. "I'm sorry about the shoes!"

"It's alright," said the Doctor cheefully. "I've got 20 pairs of them."

Rose giggled, amused by the fact that he wasn't joking.

"Ahh, that's what I like to see!" he exclaimed. "A giggling Rose is much better than one that is not, in fact, giggling."

This only served to make Rose giggle more.

The Doctor smiled, but then turned serious. He bent over and looked into her eyes. "Want to tell me what happened during the attack?"

She gazed back at him, that small nugget of knowledge now at the forefront of her mind, and made a decision. "It was jumble of images and sounds. Honestly, it flashed by so fast I couldn't catch on to any one thing." She paused a moment. "And then I heard you calling. And I knew that no matter what I had to fight my way back to you."

The Doctor considered this, conflicted thoughts swirling in his eyes. There was something dangerous here, a territory that this Time Lord feared to tread. "Rose, I –" He cut himself off and stepped away from her, one hand rubbing the back of his slime coated neck.

"Oh, ick." He patted his suit, as if seeing its condition for the first time. "Rose Tyler, we are filthy."

Rose sagely nodded her agreement, as she took stock of her own condition. "That's what happens when you go about making bugs explode."

"Do you know how long it will take to wash this out of my hair?" demanded the Doctor.

"The same amount of time, it'll take me to get it out of mine?" replied Rose.

The Doctor looked at her hair as if just now noticing that it was glowing a sickly green. "Oooo, better use the industrial shampoo. Don't worry, it shouldn't turn your hair purple. I don't think."

He helped her down from the exam table. "Off with you!" he said, helping her down from the exam table. "We shall reconvene after we no longer smell like something that came out of the back end of a Plavit beast."

Rose wasn't sure what a Plavit beast was, but she was more than happy to comply. Now steady on her feet, she took off for the showers at a dead run.

* * *

"So," asked the newly scrubbed Rose, "what happens to the Bells?" She perched on the jump seat and propped her feet on the console. "Did they do alright?"

The Doctor was silent and refused to look at her, busying himself with the TARDIS controls.

"Doctor?" she persisted.

Finally he looked at her and sighed. "John dies in few months. He has a neurological disorder. Later they will call it 'Bell's Palsy'."

Rose sat quietly for a moment, a small tear coming to her eye. "Well," she said at last, "at least they were peaceful months, yeah?"

"Yeah," said the Doctor softly. "Though they are never truly free of the Witch. The legend follows them everywhere, down through the generations and even into other states. The story gets exaggerated and more fantastic each time it is retold, such that any bad thing that happens to the family is attributed to the Bell Witch. It is said that the witch directly caused the death of John Bell and that her voice is heard mocking him as they lay him in his grave. It is even said she threatened to return to the family periodically throughout the years."

The Doctor took a deep breath. "None of it is true, though. We defeated it."

Rose nodded. "What happens to Betsy? And Lucy?"

"Oh Betsy turns out alright," he said. "She marries the schoolteacher and has eight children. Lucy lives a long life and is regarded as one of the most intelligent and capable women in the community despite her lack of formal education."

Rose nodded again, but her smile was bittersweet. It was tainted with the knowledge that though they fix problems and save the world, they are never fully able to alleviate suffering. Lives go on, and their participation in them is just a small contribution. They can't ever give anyone an eternal happy ending, because there is no such thing. It is a knowledge he wished he could shield from her.

He reached for her and engulfed her in a hug he hoped was comforting. Her arms wrapped around him and she clasped him to her tightly. And then she surprised him…again.

"I know we can't save everyone Doctor, and that choosing to save one person may mean we can't save someone else. But it's better to do what we can than do nothing." She pulled back from him a little and looked him in the eye. "We did good."

His smile blossomed and he hugged her tightly. "We were brilliant!" he added.

They stood that way for more than a minute, as if there was no other place in the universe either would rather be. The Doctor was the one who gently pulled away.

"Rose Tyler," said the Doctor hurriedly working the controls. "I want to show you something."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yes. And I promise it will be absolutely brilliant!"

She grinned at him and walked to the door. When the TARDIS rematerialized with a thump, she stood there, waiting for him. He grabbed her hand and they exited the time ship together.

The planet upon which they stood was rocky, and giant cliffs rose high into the sky. Wordlessly, he pointed upward and she gasped at what she saw.

Dragons, creatures of myth and legend, were circling in the clouds. Their majestic wings carried their powerful bodies in and out of the crevices of the rock. Rose watched with open-mouthed amazement as the dragons danced in the air.

"Those two above," said the Doctor softly, "are a mated pair. Flying, hunting, living together, for almost an eternity."

"Eternity?" Rose asked.

"Dragons live a very long time," he replied.

There was a pause as they both watched the dragons soar through the air, the red and the black. And then he asked. "How long are you gonna stay with me?"

She looked at him then and did not hesitate with her response. "Forever," she said simply. He didn't believe her even though it was the answer for which he fervently hoped. She could tell by the set of his jaw and the way he avoided her eyes.

She squeezed his hand reassuringly and looked back into the sky. It was alright he didn't believe her, she thought. She knew the truth now. She was the only person in all of creation that could make such a promise and keep it. He was much too afraid to hope, fearful of clinging to something he was sure was transitory. She would be the strong one. She would lead him down the long and twisting path before them, cautiously, dragging him inch by precious inch, and eventually, after much sadness and joy, he would come to realize that when she promised forever, she meant it.

She looked at him again and grinned wolfishly, a predator eyeing her prey. Of course, just because he moved along their shared path slower than snails trapped in molasses didn't mean she couldn't have some fun along the way.

She moved close to him and beamed a smile into his confused face. She affected a southern drawl and used some of the colorful phrases she had learned. "Well, ain't you cute as a bug's ear. How's bout you gimme some sugar?"

"Oh Rose," the Doctor said, "that was just awful. Almost as bad as Kevin Costner attempting a British accent in the Robin Hood movie. How about you not do that again?"

She moved closer and wrapped her arms around him. "I ain't givin' up till I gets me some sugar!"

She pulled his head down and placed a chaste kiss upon his lips. She held him there a moment, noting the tension in his body. When he realized she wasn't going to take the kiss deeper, he relaxed and returned it. Rose gave an internal hoot of joy. Though she already knew the outcome, she would take it slow and steady. For him.

She smiled at him when she pulled away, and slowly he returned the grin. Soon they were beaming at each other like idiots, ignoring the mesmerizing scene above.

The Doctor's stomach protested with a loud rumble effectively breaking the moment.

"Right then," said the Doctor, grabbing her hand and hauling her back into the TARDIS. "Next stop Tesco's."

Rose gave a happy yelp and rapidly started rattling off a list. "We need milk and cereal, bread, and some of those chocolate biscuits would be nice…"

The sound of her voice was overwhelmed by the whooshing of the time rotor as the TARDIS disappeared into the vortex. And overhead, the dragon and his mate continued to fly through eternity.


End file.
